Adorable Clutter Catch-Alls

Keeping kids' spaces free of clutter can be a herculean task, especially in one space shared by two children. By choosing bins which double as decoration, such as these from 3sprouts.com, kids will be more encouraged to keep their things organized and put away.

Curtain Drapery Trick

Had the toddler bunk bed been centered on the exterior wall, the oddly placed window would have thrown off the room's symmetry. By covering the entire wall with floor-to-ceiling draperies, then centering the bed on the wall, the space instantly became more balanced. In order to install the floor-to-ceiling draperies seamlessly, a hospital track was added to the ceiling with screws.

Double the Rods for Double the Clothes

To maximize the interior of the closet for housing Evander and Frankie's hanging clothes, two rods are installed on each side of the closet. The open space below the hanging clothes is dedicated to laundry.

A Cosy Closet Nook

To free up square footage in Evander and Frankie's bedroom, their closet was outfitted both as a clothes-hanging space and as a concealed workstation for crafts and homework. The central column was made from MDF (medium density fiberboard) that provides open storage as well as a child-height desktop. To add a burst of high-energy flair to the closet and break up the dark charcoal color throughout the rest of the room, the closet's walls were painted red-orange.

Kitchen Cabinets as Concealed Storage

Adding a focal point was a main design element for Evander and Frankie's bedroom. By installing ready-made kitchen cabinets to the wall, then adding graphic interest with vinyl decals in the shape of a fawn and a buck in the forest, the twins have concealed storage that also doubles as an art installation.

Doe, a Deer, a Decal Deer

Graphic decals from sissylittle.com instantly turn basic, ready-made cabinet door fronts into bold works of art. To install these, all that's needed is scissors to cut the shapes from the supplied sheeting, and a burnisher or a wallpaper smoothing tool to spread the vinyl out and remove any air bubbles.

Pillows with a Personal Touch

Graphic Art to Grow On

When choosing art for kids' rooms, it's wise to stick with subjects that have easily identifiable, graphic shapes. This 1970s graphic art of a family of partridges comes from an online purchase at artthatfits.com. To give it a high-end, unfussy look, it is framed with a brass-toned floating frame.

Get Hooked

Rock Out

Plastic, mid-century modern rockers are an excellent alternative to traditional styles for children's rooms. The plastic is lightweight and makes the furniture easy to move around. Additionally, the rounded edges are a safer choice than boxy, wooden chairs with sharp corners that could potentially harm active children.

Classic Chairs for Kids

Classic modern chairs are ideal for kids' rooms not only because the style is timeless, but because the rounded, biomorphic shapes of the chairs lack sharp corners which could be harmful for active children.

Sitting Pretty

Upon entering their room, Evander and Frankie are greeted by a lightweight pair of wire mid-century modern chairs that instantly turn the open, airy center of the room into a welcoming reading space. When it's time for play, the chairs are simply moved to another room.

Bunks Are a Must

Toddler-size bunk beds are an excellent space-saving furniture option for children under the age of seven. Thinner and less wide than twin-size beds, toddler-size beds use up less space, thus allowing extra chairs or tables to fit into the room.

Eye-Attracting Pattern

To take the focus off the room's lack of space, an 8-by-10-foot area rug in a zigzag pattern is placed on the floor. Upon entering the bedroom, the eye is drawn directly to the pattern of the floor rather than to the room's tight dimensions.

Not sure how to make a small space multifunctional? City-dwellers Sarah Raskin and John Kerl turned their bonus room into a guest bedroom/baby nursery with some smart decorating ideas and storage solutions.